Apparatus for the carbonization of coal and the like



, H. P. HIRD OR THE CARBONIZAIION OF COAL AND THELLIKE Filed March 21, 1922 March 24, 1925.

APPARATUS F INVENTOR m/d F m ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 24,1925.

I C E HAROLD PEARSON HIRD, 0F DEWSIBURY, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FQR THE CARB ONIZATION OF COAL AND,THE LIKE.

Application filed March 21, 1922. Serial No. 545,496.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HAROLD PEARSON Hmn, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Moor EnId, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England, have invented new and in Apparatus for the and the like, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the carbonization of coal, shale, peat, lignite, and the like, and my object-1s to construct and arrange in connection with suitable retorts a device or devices which will keep an open way in the material under carbonization within the retort. The device or devices may vary somewhat and comprise one or more rotating blades or like arranged within the retort.

in such wise that the material is left in a comparatively thin layer against the sides of the retort, thusfacilitating the carbonization of the same, and leaving'a preferably central opening or way through which the. gaseous products of carbonization may pass to-the. exit of the retort thus reventing unnecessary decomposition of t e products.

The rotating blades or like may also move and mix the material, or- I may use a moving member or members within the mass adapted to form and maintain a way or ways through the material.

In describing my invention in detail reference is made to the accompanying sheet of drawin s in which Fig. 1. represents a sectional e evation of a retort with my ap paratus applied thereto.

ig. 2. represents a section on line a. b. in

ig. 3. represents a similar view to that shown in Fi 1 of a modified form of ap aratus and V ig. 4. re resents sections of other forms of channel ormers.

To carry my invention into effect I may use any number of retorts by preference. circular in shape and suitably disposed and heated after the usual manner. I will for clearness describe my arrangement and paratus as applied to one retort.

ach retort R, in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will have a suitable shaft A by preference central, and I twat-ha heat to the incoming material shaft'itself may be of such a cross section s to give the desired action ,and form a passage up which the gaseous products of 'carbonization may pass to the outlet R a greater diameter at one end than the other.

The fuel or like may through the inlet R by a spiral feed or other suitable and usual means. The ordinary system of carbonization is the heat exterior to the retort, an heat the contents of the retort tend fy leaving the escaping gases to make their escape along the sides of the retort and these gases in ascending are to some extent decomposed especially where the ture is high. It has been customary t erefore to use high temperatures at the bottom of the retort and lower temperatures higher up, and owin too, to the thickness of the mass within t e retort carbonization, to be complete, takes a considerable time. Whereas by forming a central passage within the retort by means of a' continually moving device, t e escaping gases instead of passing up or along the side of the retort nearest the eat pass inwards to the central opening giving off their sensible heat to the mass as they pass through and in ascending give and pass 'away at the outlet, therefore I may effect carbonization using a high temperature outside the retort and yet obtain low temperature carbonization within the retort. This process does not tend to produce tar, but in lieu thereof produces 011.

he moving action of the central-shaft or like will also have a grinding action which will tend to break up the material and also to some extent press the escaping gases back into the mass at a point or points where the temperature is lowest within the retort and so assist in the carbonization process.

The before mentioned shaft may be of plain section as before described so long as in moving it makes a passa e for the gases to pass away'to the outlet. ma also provide same with blades here an there to mounted slidably on r tinually as" .hereinbefore the shaft up and down and the rotary movement will tion forming the substantially reach nearer to the sides of the retort, and in order to economize power these blades or like will by preference be cone shaped. These devices are indicated by dotted lines as at A 1. In some forms of device I may 6. it necessary to also move (or in and out) to give as it were a rammi g movement. Such movement will be slow and steady and may be effected bymeans of an eccentric connection A secured to a slow running shaft A, be carried as by a bevel wheel A the shaft A. Ifthis latter shaft is square the driving meansYwill be understood and in Fig. 1 a suitable arrangement is shown.- The connection to the eccentric being" one which will allow the shaft to turn such as a ball and socket joint. In Fig. 3, I have shown a modified form of apparatus comprising a shaft such as A3 tapering tov a oint or nearly so. member A driving gear-such as that beforedescribe and arranged torise and fall, the rising mopassa e for the ascension of the gases, and the fa ling motion closing such passage. This action while giving the same efiect as that of the tends to check the gases rather more and give somewhat additional 1 temperature carbonizationf within thereout by means such.

tort, and also tends to compress such gases and the carbonized material. facilitate the pressing down and withdrawal of this member, it may also revolve after the manner of the shaft A either conin one direction, or first in one direction and then in another, in this motion are well known.

' y' combining with a suitable retort means for the formation of an interior passage by a moving shaft or like substantially described, I may use very high temperatures outsideithe retort withor deleterious decomposi- In order to out the detriment tion of the products, the rate of passage I may heat up 1. A carbonizing 1s wil be connected to suitable d bon zed, a shaft 'bonized, a shaft means for giv- I may thus moi-ease carbonization and the consequent removal of the products and I obtain employed I may have several of the passage forming devices, and in addition to the heated gases rising or passing along such the mass by a stream orstreams of hot relatively inert gases supplied from an external source, and in cases where exterior heat is not available the hot gases'ma be used for internal heating.

What claim as my invention is 2-- apparatus, comprising a retort forreceiving the material to be carbonized, a shaft mounted for rotation in: said retort and extending the entire length of the retort, said shaft bein of such crosssection as, by its rotation, to orm and maintain open a continuous passageway through the material in the retort, and means for imparting rotary motion to said shaft.

2. A carbonizmg apparatus, retort for receiving the material to be-carmounted for rotation in said retort and extending substantiall the entire length of the retort, said shaft eing square in cross-section thereb by its rotation, to form and maintain open a continuous passageway through the material in the retort, and means for imparting rotary motion to said shaft. p

3. A carbonizi'ng apparatus, comprising a retort for receiving the material to be carmounted for rotation in extending substantially the the retort, said shaft being square in cross-section thereby, by its rotation, tqjorm and maintain open a continuous :assageway through the material in the reto means for impartin rotary motion to said shaft, and means or imparting a reciprocatory motion to the'shaft. In testimony whereof I have signed my HAROLD rnanson HIRD- Witness:

CLIVE,

said retort and entire length of Waves.

comprising a l 

